Troublesome Pond
by Mayrasaur
Summary: -Twoshot- -Shikamaru x Oc- "Like the old days, huh?" he said between laughs. I smiled. "No, it's missing something." Shikamaru was confused at first, but when I started walking towards him, he understood. -SecondChapter requested by MegaKari13-
1. Chapter 1

I darted through the trees, dodging the overgrown branches that almost smacked me in the face or got tangled in my long, layered black hair. I jumped over the large roots and my blue eyes saw an upcoming pond surrounded by green grass and more trees with small flower buds surrounded by the green leaves. I jumped over the bushes and almost rolled into the pond after tripping. Stupid branches, trying to trip me. I jumped up and looked to see if Sakura was coming.

I chuckled. "Stupid Sakura can't even keep up with me," I said to myself, smiling cockily. I rested my hands on my hips, being able to see my small shadow before me. The smile soon faded when a voice behind me almost scared the living crap out of me.

"Don't be so sure!" Sakura exclaimed. I bent down and turned around, aiming a kunai knife at her. It struck her in the face, but of course she seemed to explode and in her place was a log.

"Trying to trick me, are you Sakura? Well no one can trick the leaf village's very own HARU-Ahh!" I ended up tripping on something, but it wasn't a root. Whatever I tripped on was too big to be a root. Anyways, a fell on the soft looking grass that wasn't so soft anymore. After getting a bit of mud on my chin, I rolled onto my back and peered at whatever tripped me. Angers me to know that it was a guy that had tripped me.

Actually, this guy looked like I had just woken him up, lazy bum. His dark hair was tied up into a ponytail, making his face look skinnier and firmer. His dark eyes looked tired as he rubbed them and yawned. I wondered if I could see through that tight fishnet shirt he wore, but I actually couldn't. Too bad.

"Sorry dude, I kind of tripped on your legs," I apologized casually, and continued to observe him. His ponytail seemed familiar... "Hey, have we met before?" I asked, sitting up and crossing my legs, criss-cross applesauce style. The boy yawned once more and scratched the back of his neck.

"We're in the same class at the academy. You're Haruno, aren't you?" I stayed silent. Bleh, I hate it when people call me Haruno.

"I don't... Oh yeah! Ah I can't believe I forgot you! You sit RIGHT next to me! Chika-something right?"

"Shikamaru," he corrected me irritably, his lips forming a frown. I smiled.

"Haha, right. Hey, would you mind not calling me Haruno. Hate that name. Call me Haru-chan!"

"How about I just call you Haru," Shikamaru suggested. I sweatdropped.

"Alright, I guess-" I stopped talking as I hear footsteps and rustling. "Crap! It's Sakura! Quick, don't tell her I'm here!" I pleaded and with a single jump, I landed on one of the firm branches of the tree Shikamaru had been sleeping under. I sat on the branch and quietly observed Shikamaru. I wondered what he'd look like with that ponytail down. Someday, I would find that out. I just didn't know when. I heard Shikamaru grumble, "What a drag," as he settled himself against the tree and kept his eyes half open. His laid-back attitude kind of attracted me, I don't know why. But what do I know, I'm barely eleven!

"Hey Shikamaru! Have you seen Haru-chan around?" Sakura asked, standing in front of him and peering down at him, her hands resting behind her back. I took out a small shuriken, but not to hurt Sakura.

"Haven't seen her. Get lost, I'm trying to sleep," Shikamaru said with a perfect touch of an annoyed tone that made Sakura roll her pretty eyes and leave. After she left, I threw the shuriken to Shikamaru's hair, making sure I aimed it perfectly so that it only cut the band holding Shikamaru's hair up.

I gasped when Shikamaru caught the shuriken right before it could even get close to his hair. "You're going to have to try a little harder."

"Aww Shikamoru!"

"Shikamaru," he corrected me. I rolled my eyes and jumped out of the tree, sitting next to him.

"Your name's too long. I'm going to call you Shika just because," I said. Shikamaru protested, but I made up my mind. We sat there in silence, Shikamaru staring out at the clouds.

"Why are you staring at the clouds?" I asked curiously.

"I don't know. Makes me feel calm. I like staring up at the clouds," Shikamaru simply answered. So we watched the clouds together silently, the peaceful silence enough to make me feel good. Suddenly, I wanted to leave. It's not that I didn't like Shikamaru, or that I didn't like being around him, it's just... I didn't want to embarrass myself, and believe me, I'm prone to that.

"Uh, I gotta.. go." I got up and took a step forward, but I instantly tripped, being the klutz I am. I rolled forward and down the smallish hill and fell into the pond, cold water embracing me. I struggled to stand up, my whole body soaking wet and my feet slipping and sliding as I stood up. I blew the hair out of my eyes and noticed Shikamaru laughing his butt off. I glared at me and shook my head towards him, causing a rainfall of water droplets to go towards him.

"Aw stop! Gross!" Shikamaru shouted, blocking the water with his hands. I giggled and walked towards him, leaving a trail of muddy footprints behind. I smiled and extended my arms. "What're you doing?"

"Shika, you look like you could us a hug!" I exclaimed, hugging him around the neck. He tried to pull away, but my grip on him was hard, and I was wetting his whole outfit. I laughed and hugged him tighter as he struggled, and tried to rub some of the mud on my shoes onto his pants.

"Haru, let me go, troublesome girl!"

"Say you're sorry!"

"For what?"

"For laughing at me."

"Nah, that was way too funny."

"Then I guess you wouldn't mind if I did this," I threatened, and rubbed the top of my head against his neck like a cat, wetting all of his neck. He shoved me off and I fell on my butt, but I kicked up my feet and got mud on his shirt. His glare made me stiffen up, but then I started laughing. He soon joined me.

"Hey Shikamaru! You said you were going to come buy ramen with me, not flirt with some girl!" a voice I recognized as Choji's voice shouted. He was accompanied by Kiba and Naruto, all of them smirking in our direction.

"I wasn't flirting," Shikamaru grumbled.

"Hey Shikamaru, I've never seen that side of you. You're usually not into all that 'having fun' stuff," Kiba stated, Akumaru barking his agreement.

"Don't listen to those morons, Shika, and help me up," I commanded, holding a hand out. He took it and helped me up, then I rubbed my hand against his cheek and got his cheek wet. "Revenge tastes sweet."

~x~

It seemed like Iruka-sensei wasn't going to get here anytime soon. I sat on my usual seat, next to Shikamaru who was sitting next to the window, peering outside. I sighed a nervous sigh. Yes, maybe you figured it out already, but I liked Shikamaru. And since there was a small dance being held for the class, I was thinking of asking him to it. The dance... I wasn't going to dance, but there was going to be games outside and snacks, and I wasn't going to leave the fun to myself. Besides, everyone was already asking everyone out, despite the fact that we were all pretty young. It was working like a game these days, actually. When we mature, we can talk about proper relationships.

"Hey Shika," I said, using his nickname I had given him. Actually, now that I started using the nickname 'Shika' on him, he's been known by that name or his full name. I start things, you know.

"Hnn?" he muttered, turning his head to me. He looked tired, as usual, but he looked like he was just coming out of a daydream.

"Are.. are you going with anyone to the dance thingy?" I asked, wanting to smack myself for sounding so darn stupid. Couldn't I sound more like a girl? And by girl, I mean popular, good looking, not clumsy girl. Shikamaru let out a sigh, muttering 'troublesome,' which kind of acted as his catchphrase, under his breath. He seemed nervous for something, I didn't know what though.

"I know what you're going to asked and... I don't like you that way. And you can't like me, I'm sorry Haru." His words obviously sliced me painfully. I stared at him sadly. I mean, this is my first love I'm talking about here. Having your first love say that to you is like... having your dad hit you with a kunai and say you were adopted!

Anyways, I felt tears sting my eyes and sprung out of my chair. I jumped onto the table and leaped down to the door, causing kids to gasp at my feat. Iruka Sensei opened the door.

"Haru, where are you going?" he asked, but I didn't answer and sped forward.

~x~

_Shikamaru's POV_

I was about to tell Haru why I couldn't have her like me, but she didn't let me. She stubbornly jumped onto our table and leaped over everyone and to the door. Iruka Sensei opened the door, a shocked expression on his face when he saw Haru.

"Haru, where are you going?" he asked. Haru didn't answer him and almost tripped on her way out. I sighed, Naruto peering up at me. We exchanged glances and he jumped out of his seat and raced after her.

Don't think of me as a total jerk. You don't know the trouble I went to to have to say that, those words being lies and all. I truly liked Haru, actually, from the moment she tripped on my legs. But Naruto did, too. He knew she liked me. He asked me to tell her that I didn't like her, but that he did. Apparently, that didn't work. I only went along with this because I thought having a girl like me was troublesome, but it was kind of nice. Knowing someone likes you that is good looking, that is. I peered out the window and saw Naruto talking to Haru, who was sitting under the tree, on the swing tied on it.

He was probably asking her right now if she'd go to the dance with him, and as a fool, I wasn't doing anything about it.

~x~

_Haruno's POV_

I ran down the halls, possibly tripping ten times on the way outside. My vision was blurry from the tears in my eyes, that's all. I shouldn't even be crying, though. Shika is just Shika, and I'm just me. I shouldn't act like this. I'm only just eleven, what would I know about love?

I finally came to the swing tied on the tree in front of the academy. I sat on it and leaned against the rope. No sooner that I did that, Naruto came bursting through the doors and ran up to me, looking extremely worried. My heart actually raced when the doors slammed open, but I realized it was the wrong person worried about me.

"What's wrong, Haru-chan?" Naruto asked, looking down at me with his blue eyes. I shook my head, making the tears stop.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked. I nodded. "Would it make you feel better if I asked you to the dance?" Naruto asked. I looked up at him. He gave me a kiddish grin, his cheeks somewhat pink with embarrassment. I smiled at him, but how could I say yes? I felt like I'd be acting mean to Shikamaru, but he was the one being mean. I frowned slightly, but gave Naruto a quick smile.

"Sure, Naruto."

~x~

On the day of the dance, Iruka Sensei escorted us to a part of town reserved for just us. We all stared in awe at the shimmering lights, Choji and some others drooled over the food, and I stared at all the games.

"Go off and enjoy yourselves!" Iruka Sensei exclaimed, being our cue to rush forward and scream in delight. Naruto grabbed my hand and lead me around.

But even though I was having total fun, I wasn't having as much fun as I expected. It was probably because I wasn't with that Shikamaru, who hadn't spoken to me since the incident with the not liking me back and all. I narrowed my eyes as I sat down, Naruto next to me and eating his ramen. I looked to my other side and saw Hinata looking over Naruto hesitantly, playing with her fingers. I looked forward and saw Shikamaru walking towards the pond that we had first met at. I smirked. I think I can solve both of our problems... hopefully.

"Be right back, Naruto," I said, getting up. I didn't wait for his response of 'okay' with a mouthful of ramen and simply walked towards Hinata.

"Hinata, come with me," I commanded, grabbing her arm and pulling her up. I took her to where me and Naruto had been sitting and sat her down.

"Naruto, I don't like you, I like Shika. Sorry. But Hinata totally loves you, and I think you two would make a good couple and can make things work." Hinata blushed a deep shade of red while Naruto looked shocked.

"Really?" Naruto asked Hinata. I facepalmed.

"Dude, everyone could see it! Except you. So please give Hinata chance, like I gave you one." With that, I got up and headed for the pond.

Upon arriving at the pond, it was really dark, so as you might guess, I ended up falling on top of a log or something.

"Ow, that hurt...," I muttered.

"This hurts me more, since I'm under you and you fell on me kind of hard," Shikamaru said. I shrieked, surprised by his voice, and got up and off of him.

"Are you okay?" I asked worriedly.

"I'm fine. Shouldn't you be with Naruto?" he asked, and I sensed anger and annoyance in his voice. I smiled, even though he probably couldn't see me.

"I hooked him up with Hinata," I said, beaming.

"Really?"

"Yeah... Shikamaru, do you really not like me?" I asked hesitantly, a little nervous. It wasn't that I was afriad to ask. No, I was afraid of the response he'd give me.

"...No. I didn't mean it. Naruto told me to tell you, assuming he thought I didn't like you back. It was all just so... troublesome. But I really do like you."

"Well, Naruto's with Hinata. What do you have to say to that?" I asked. He stayed silent. I could see his somewhat dark eyes darting to his left, thinking about what to do.

"Nothing... Nothing but this." He leaned towards me. I couldn't see it, I felt it. But I'm not going to tell you he kissed me on the lips. No, it was just a simple kiss on the cheek, but that was enough for me that day.

~x~

"Where are we going?" I asked, chuckling and Shikamaru held onto my hand and lead me through the forest. I was now at the age of 19, and yes, me and Shika had been going out since the day of the dance thing. He smiled back at me.

"You'll see," he said teasingly. I smirked at him playfully, but played along with his little game. This path seemed familiar, though, but nothing stayed familiar in Konoha. Things had changed immensely, but it was still Konoha. Shikamaru finally stopped and turned to me.

"Close your eyes."

"Shika, do I really have to-"

"Close your eyes," Shikamaru commanded. I sighed and did as told, my heart thumping with anticipation. He grabbed both my hands and led me forward, telling me when to take a leap and when to move to the left or right.

"Okay, open your eyes," Shikamaru said after what felt like an eternity. I opened my eyes and saw a pond. An ordinary pond at first, but then the memory of the day we first met came to mind.

"Is this the pond where we first met?" I asked, smiling wide. Shikamaru nodded, a content smirk on his lips. I gasped and looked around. The pond seemed cleaner and the bushes thicker, grass greener. Everything about the pond seemed better than it was before.

"Wow! We haven't been back here since the day you kissed me on the cheek. Ah, those were the days," I said, turning away from him and towards the pond. Small fishes swam around, popping up and out every once in a while.

"Haruno." I turned around to tell him not to call me by my full name, but I stopped when I noticed he was down on one knee. I stared at him, speechless, and he just gave me a small smile, cheeks somewhat red. "Will you marry me?" he asked, pulling out a box. He opened it to reveal a gold ring with a red stone on it. I gasped as he put it on.

"Yes!" I screamed, about to hug him when I slipped and fell backwards into the pond. Oh yeah, this couldn't get any wors-AW CRAP THE RING! I quickly got up and almost fell backwards from the slimy mud making my feet slip and slide. I looked at the ring. It still looked brand new. I smiled, the pond water hiding my tears, and looked up to see Shikamaru laughing.

"Like the old days, huh?" he said between laughs. I smiled.

"No, it's missing something." Shikamaru was confused at first, but when I started walking towards him, he understood. It was too late for him to run away, because I hugged onto him and got his outfit wet, like about eight years ago.

"Now it's like the old days," I said, smiling. I'm getting married, so let me smile as much as I want. Shikamaru gave me a small smirk, and bent down to give me a kiss.


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up and heard Shikamaru's light snoring as he hugged onto me, his head buried against my neck. I smiled slightly, looking at him sleep peacefully, and grabbed some of his hair. Finally, he had let it loose. A whole year of sleeping in the same room, living in the same house, and he barely decided to let his hair loose. He never liked it when I saw him with his hair down, even though I loved the way he looked younger and hotter. But then again, I never liked it when he called me Haruno, my full name. Gah, I hate that. At least he's seeing me as a wife, right?

Calling myself a wife makes me feel so grown up, it's not even funny. But that title is just so… It simply puts a smile on my face. Anyways, I looked around for the numbers of the clock. Barely five, meaning the sun wasn't going to rise just yet. Good, I've still got time to sleep. I shut my eyes, resting my head against Shikamaru's, but Shikamaru stirred, showing that he was awake now. He let out a deep breath, his breath hitting my neck, let go of me and sat up, running a hand through his hair.

"I love your hair so much," I said, sleep still crawling down the words I spoke. I sat up and messed his hair up.

"Well I love your name."

"Gross, who loves my name?"

"I love every part about you," Shikamaru said sweetly, smiling at me. I smirked.

"Well I love every part about you, so keep your hair down more often," I said, leaning against him. "Do you have any missions today?" I asked.

"Just patrolling the forest, why?"

"No reason, I just wanted to know so I could meet up with Sakura, Ino, and Hinata for some coffee."

"No, don't have coffee! You get really crazy when you have coffee, even now. Sometimes, you act like Naruto. Troublesome…," he mumbed . I laughed.

"No, don't compare me to him!" I laughed, getting to my feet. "I'm going to make breakfast. Do you want anything?" Once Shikamaru shook his head, I turned to leave but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back onto the bed. "Shikamaru!"

"Come on, it's barely five! I just want you to stay here with me," he said, hugging my waist and sighing sleepily.

"I don't know why you go on missions if you're always so sleepy. Lazy boy."

"Stubborn girl," Shikamaru countered, and before I could start protesting, Shikamaru shut me up his usual way that always worked. He pulled me into a deep kiss, and boy did that shut me up.

~x~

"Married for one whole year! Aw, how cute," Sakura squealed, nudging me. "And you know, it's all thanks to me."

"And why is that?" Ino, Hinata, and I asked in unison. Sakura gave us a small smile.

"Because if it wasn't for me starting a pursuit game with you that one day near the pond, you would have never met Shikamaru," Sakura explained, sipping her coffee. I drank some of mine as well and took a bite out of my cookie. Because what's coffee without a cookie?

"Well then thank you, Sakura, for chasing me around like a maniac," I said mockingly.

"You're welcome."

"If we're saying our thanks, then I'd like to thank Haru for getting Naruto and I together," Hinata said, smiling and peering down at the ring on her finger. She and Naruto had gotten married not long after Shikamaru and I had, and ever since she and Naruto had their first ever kiss as a couple, her stuttering completely stopped. A relief to all of us. Her self confidence boosted, so she isn't the shy Hinata anymore.

"And I'd like to say that no one helped me get together with Choji," Ino said, her hands on her hips and a cocky smile on her face. She and Choji had been married for a while now, and I don't really know any details, except when Choji started looking more like a football player and less like a hopeless fatty, Ino fell for him. Ino leaned against the table and looked from me to Hinata.

"So, anyone planning on having a kid yet?" The question caught me and Hinata, even Sakaru, off guard, and I actually started choking on a piece of cookie. I gulped down an unfortunately hot gulp of coffee and stared at her with wide eyes.

"A kid?" I asked. I mean, it's not like I haven't thought about a mini Haru or a mini Shika running around, but actually having a baby is a whole other idea.

"Having a kid is something kind of serious, Ino," Hinata said, regaining her cool.

"Yeah. You can't just jump into it," Sakura agreed, nodding her pretty little head. Ino shrugged.

"I know, I know. I mean, you have to think it over and talk to the husband and everything, but have any of you even done that?" I exchanged glances with Hinata, and even exchanged a glance with Sakura, who I knew was currently in a relationship with Sai. We all shook our heads at her, and she sighed.

"Well, guess I hate to be the only one, but… I'm pregnant!"

"WHAT?" we all exclaimed, and again, I choked on my cookie. This time, Hinata had to pat my back and I finished all of my coffee to get that out. I stared at Ino with wide eyes, then looked at her stomach. She doesn't look anything near pregnant.

"Yeap! I'm already two months!"

"Two months?" Hinata looked at her stomach. "….What?"

"I know, unbelievable!" Ino squealed, along with Sakura. Sakura patted Ino's stomach.

"What do you want it to be? A girl?"

"A girl. But Choji's keen on a guy, but whatever. I'm just glad I'm pregnant! Having to raise a child is a wonderful experience. Dressing them up, watching them grow up, discovering their talents." I smiled as Ino and Sakura gushed. Hinata was still a little skeptical. Anything with the word 'sex' in it still made her faint. I, on the other hand, felt a little envious of Ino. Choji obviously loved her enough to raise a child with her. Does Shikamaru feel this way, too?

What am I saying, of course he does! And I do, too. So I'm going to make that little thought of a mini Haru or mini Shikamaru come true.

~x~

I heard the door shut just when I was done making dinner. Talk about perfect timing. That's a good sign, isn't it? I decided to talk to Shikamaru before we went to sleep. I figured that since I almost choked on a cookie when Ino told me she was preggers, Shikamaru would need mouth to mouth when I told him. But that wasn't all bad, wasn't it?

It was around ten at night when Shikamaru and I crawled into bed. The lights were out, and I pulled on the covers and switched the lamp light besides the bed on. Shikamaru groaned, sitting up.

"Why is the light on?" Shikamaru asked groggily. So how should I start this? Should I just go out and say it? I think I should… "Something wrong?"

"I wanna have a baby!" I suddenly shouted, and Shikamaru was so shocked he hit himself with the wall behind us. Okay, I admit that even I would have been shocked, because I just suddenly said it out of nowhere. Anyways, I rubbed the back of his head as he grimaced.

"I'm sorry!" I shouted, feeling like an idiot.

"No. It's no problem. I'm fine- A baby?" Shikamaru cut himself off. I sighed.

"If you don't want to, then it's fine…"

"No, it's not that!" Shikamaru shouted, putting his hands up. "That was just… out of nowhere, you know? Why so sudden?" I laughed.

"I dunno, I've thought about it, but then Ino told me she was pregnant and I guess I thought about the idea even more," I explained, looking down at my hands. Shikamaru grabbed them.

"You do know kids might be cute, but they're hell."

"They're not hell! Watch, when you have the baby in your arms, I bet you'll cry."

"I will not."

"You will so. Just watch," I said, laughing. Shikamaru smirked.

"Whatever you say," Shikamaru said, reaching over my shoulder to shut the lamp light off. He crawled under the covers and pulled me into a hug.

"So, are we doing this tonight?" I stayed silent.

"Doing what?"

"Do not tell me you don't know."

"No, shut up, that's gross!" I exclaimed, burying my face in his chest. He laughed.

"You want a baby and yet you think sex is gross?"

"Yeah, so? Be quiet, stop mocking me," I whispered, Shikamaru laughing at me. He hugged me tight.

"Whatever. When you're ready."

~x~

"Ahh… My stomach hurts too much to drink this," I mumbled, pushing my coffee away. Everyone raised an eyebrow at me, everyone being Sakura, Ino, and Hinata.

"Haru? Haruno Nara, refusing coffee? Don't tell me you're going to pass on the cookie, too," Sakura said. I rolled me eyes.

"Bleh, I just don't feel like eating. And don't call me Haruno," I said stubbornly, pouting. Ino smirked.

"So what do you want to eat?" she asked me.

"I don't know…," I mumbled, feeling interrogated.

"Haru, if you don't want your coffee, then I'll throw it out," Hinata suggested, reaching for my coffee. I shook my head and grabbed it, taking it away.

"No way, you guys paid for it. I wouldn't want it to go to waste like that. I'll drink it," I said determinedly, bringing the cup to my lips. I took a small sip, and the usual delicious aroma and silky texture of the coffee was gone. Instead, the coffee smelled strange and it tasted like muddy water. I grimaced but kept drinking it.

"We can tell you don't like it," Hinata said matter-of-factly. I stuck my tongue out at them, and Ino's smirk was still crawling on her face.

"Haru, are you pregnant?" she suddenly asked. I stared at her with wide eyes, but I knew she'd ask sometime.

"I… I don't know…" I mumbled, averting my eyes from them.

"Well, have you done anything… you know?"

"Eww gross, shut up!" I exclaimed, tossing my cookie at Sakura. Ino facepalmed.

"Now I'm doubting she's pregnant. She's calling SEX gross."

"Gross, don't say that word!"

"Sex, sex, sex!"

"Ino!"

"Sexual intercourse!"

"Ino, shut up!"

"Okay Ino, you can stop," Hinata said between laughs, and I could tell they were all enjoying this. Let them, I don't care.

"But seriously, are you pregnant?" Ino asked. I shrugged.

"I don't know. Okay, yes, we had s-s-The 's' word." Everyone snickered and my childishness. I rolled my eyes. "But I don't know for sure."

"Well, you can take a pregnancy test," Hinata said.

"Uh, are those really that accurate?" Sakura asked for me.

"I guess. I mean, you can take a pregnancy test, and that could be a maybe. Then you can go to a doctor to get the for sure on it," Ino explained. I suddenly felt anxious, and my stomach had butterflies.

"A-Alright. Let's go get one," I said, standing up. I turned around to leave.

"Hey Haru."

"Hn?"

"Sex!"

~x~

Okay, so now I'm waiting. Waiting, waiting, waiting for the results. The results that could mark a happy day, or a day of slight sadness with a touch of 'trying again.' So what would I do for the next five minutes? I jogged around the house for a minute, started dinner, did my hair, jogged again, punched the air, and it still felt like an eternity. Five minutes finally passed, but I waited another minute. I grabbed the small pregnancy test, held my breath, closed my eyes, and checked.

"I'm home! Haru, you here?" Shikamaru asked from the living room. I dropped the pregnancy test, slammed the door open, and ran to him. "Hey what're you-"

I cut him off by jumping on him and kissing him. He was totally caught off guard and we ended up falling on the ground. We fell so hard I bit his lip, but I was too happy.

"I'm pregnant!" I shouted, tears of happiness in my eyes. Shikamaru stared at me, blank confusion on his face for, like, half a second, then he smiled up at me. I felt like saying it again, so I shouted, "I'm pregnant!"

"Tha-That's great!" Shikamaru said, laughing at my enthusiasm. I smiled wildly at him, my smile so wide my cheeks were hurting. Shikamaru smirked at me, sitting up. I sat on his lap and side.

"You're glad, right?" I asked, peering up at him. He smiled.

"Of course I am," he said sternly, and I totally believed him. "And if you need any proof, I'll show it to you," he said, pulling me into another kiss.

~x~

Pregnancy. Sucks.

Seriously. Take my word for it. I know, it's a life changing experience that's wonderful and opens your eyes to your new life, but to sum it up, it's hell. The only thing that would make up for it is seeing your child in your arms. But anyways, the nine months had been hell. Pains, cravings, and getting extremely tired out of nowhere. Ino told me how to weaken these effects, but nothing worked, so I had to bare it. Trust me, it's hard for me to bare any pain. But, what made me feel better was watching Shikamaru's worn out face after a tough mission go from tensed and stressed to happy and calm when he took a look at me. That was the best.

I dumped hot water into two instant ramen cups, because that's the only thing I felt like making. If I could, I'd make real ramen or something, not cheap instant. Shikamaru would be back soon; he was simply working as a messenger today. I took a big gulp of water and sighed, my stomach hurting. I looked down at my stomach, two things crossing my mind. One, gross there's a body inside me. Two, this is who me and Shika will raise.

I set a hand on my stomach as I felt a sudden pain. Aw crap, that was just nothing, right? Let's play it cool and ignore it. I heard the door slam open and sighed a breath of relief. I didn't feel like being alone right now. Shikamaru threw his jacket on the couch, took his ponytail off, and ran a tired hand through his hair. He looked extremely tired.

"Hey Shika," I greeted him. He looked over at me and smiled, obviously glad to see me. I smiled back at him as he walked over to me.

"What're we eating?" I averted my eyes shamefully.

"Instant ramen." Shikamaru laughed, pulling me into a hug. He rested his chin on the top of my head.

"Good enough," he mumbled, not sound hungry, and leaned down to kiss me. And I was so looking forward to this kiss, but a sudden jolt of pain in my stomach pinched through me and caused me to nearly collapse. "Haru!"

"I-I'm fine!" I shouted.

"Don't be stubborn now!" Shikamaru exclaimed, rolling his eyes at me.

"Shut up," I mumbled stubbornly, and another jolt of pain in my stomach that was much stronger than before caused me to grip his wrist tightly as I groaned in pain. A minute passed and the pain died.

"We've got to get you to a hospital," Shikamaru said, helping me up.

"W-why?"

"Don't act stupid, you know you're having the baby! What, did you think your huge belly was going to disappear and a baby would appear in your arms?" I pouted.

"I wish…," I mumbled, another pain shooting through me. This time I screamed loudly and punched the wall. After the pain died down, I looked at the wall and saw the huge hole I created. Shikamaru stared at me with wide eyes.

"Women…"

~x~

"Is it a girl? Is it a boy? IS IT BOTH?" I asked frantically, sitting up. I kind of fainted after the baby came, heh. Shut up, I'm me for a reason.

"It's a boy," the doctor said, chuckling at me. I smiled and looked around.

"Where is it?" I asked, and Shikamaru walked into the room. I was kind of scared to see he didn't have the baby, but when the nurse walked in from another door, I sighed a breath of relief. She handed my baby to me, and I stared down at it, smiling. It's cute, messy black hair and closed eyes and pinkish skin made my heart melt. Small hands were gripped together, guarding itself.

"Shika, come," I whispered, and he was instantly by my side. I handed him our baby boy and he gladly took him, a small grin on his lips. "Our baby Yoshi."

"Yoshi?"

"Short of Yoshimori," I explained. Shikamaru nodded and looked down at him, and a saw a small tear. "Told you you would cry," I taunted. Shikamaru rolled his eyes at me.

"Shut up, don't ruin the moment," he mumbled as Yoshimori yawned.

"Do you think he'll be a genius like you?" I asked, leaning forward.

"Who knows? He's my kid, so he probably will be." I laughed at this, and Shikamaru smiled.

"Yoshimori…" we both said in unison, giving each other huge smiles.

~x~

"Mom!" Yoshimori shouted, carrying a Go game in his arms.

"What?" I replied, looking down at him. In five years, Yoshi went from a small, pink baby to a short little boy with hazel eyes, medium colored skin, and always messy hair that he didn't want me to cut so he could put it in a ponytail like his father. That's the only thing that disappointed me. That damned ponytail.

"When's Dad coming home?" he asked, setting the Go game down. I sighed.

"Soon, honey. Why don't you play against me?"

"No, I always beat you, you're no fun! You suck at this game," he said stubbornly. That must be what he got out of me. The stubborn personality.

"Sorry I'm not a super genius! I'm going to tell Dad to give you an extra hard time in your Go game tonight!" I said mockingly. He rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I like the challenge so, haha!" he countered, a mocking tone matching mine on his voice. We glared at each other and I burst out laughing and pulled him into a hug.

"You're so cute!" I squealed, pinching his cheek.

"Mom! You're embarrassing me!"

"Aw, come on Yoshimori! Show your mother some love or I'll have to get you a baby sister!" I said threateningly, but his eyes lighted up.

"Really? A baby sister just for me?" I stared down at him cluelessly. I never knew he wanted to be a big brother. The door slammed open and Yoshimori escaped my embrace and grabbed the Go game.

"Dad! Let's play Go!"

"Not now, Yoshi," Shikamaru said, seeming distant. I looked at him worringly.

"What's wrong?" I asked. He looked at me. His eyes looked tired and his looked older, and his jaw was set tight. He had a few scratches and wounds, and his body was wet from the rain.

"Asuma. He was killed today." I gasped.

"Shikamaru, I… I'm so sorry…," I mumbled, walking towards him.

"I… I just need some rest…," he mumbled, walking away to our room. I sighed. Hopefully he's okay.

"Is Dad alright?"

"Yeah… he's fine, he just needs some time alone. I'm sure he'll play Go with you tomorrow. After dinner, I'll play a game with you and you can teach me some strategies, okay?" Yoshi stared down at his feet.

"Okay…," he mumbled, walking towards the kitchen table.

After dinner, I tucked Yoshimori in bed and kissed his forehead.

"Eww," he whispered, but he didn't rub away the kiss. I smiled and messed his hair up. "Mom."

"Yes?"

"Tell Dad I said goodnight." I smiled and nodded. I turned around and turn the light off, then shut the door softly and walked to my room in the dark. The light in our room was on, and Shikamaru was sprawled on the bed, lit cigarette in one hand, empty bottle of beer in the other. I sighed, a bit disappointed of Shikamaru. But he had just lost one of the most precious people to him, so I didn't blame him. I took the cigarette and crushed it before throwing it away, and took away the bottle of beer.

"Yoshimori said goodnight," I whispered, although he couldn't hear me because he was practically out cold.

_~x~_

"Mom, when's Dad getting home?"

"I don't know, honey," I mumbled, stirring something inside the pot. It's been around a month since Asuma's death, and Shikamaru still kept drinking and smoking his stupid cigarettes. Sometimes, he would quit, but he'd go right back to drinking and smoking again. It wasn't a good example for Yoshimori and it made him tense and well… I don't know anymore. We just… fought more, and I hated it. Once, Yoshi asked me why I was so mean to Shikamaru. Was I really being mean, or was it the other way around?

"…Is Dad mad at me?" Yoshimori asked, pulling at my jeans.

"No, of course not. If he's mad at anyone, it's probably me…" I said lowly. Yoshimori frowned.

"I'm going to go find my Go game," he mumbled to me, then walked towards his room. At that moment, I heard the door open and Shikamaru walked through, covered in rain. He had a cigarette in hand that was somehow lit, and he had a beer in hand as well.

"No, Shikamaru, don't drink or smoke today! We need to talk," I said, taking the beer bottle away. Shikamaru glared at me, and I wondered if he really did hate me or something.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Yes there is! First, you've got to stop your smoking and drinking! It's ruining you and Yoshimori. It's ruining us, Shikamaru! Yoshi just asked me if you were mad at him, and he's been asking about our fights."

"Not my fault he's such a stupid kid."

"He's not a stupid kid!" I shouted angrily. Shikamaru reached to put the cigarette in his mouth, but I swatted it away. He glared at me harder.

"Shut your nagging, it's getting annoying."

"You're getting annoying, Shikamaru! Asuma died a month ago! It's time to move on!"

"How would you know? You don't know anything!"

"Of course I do! I'm your wife!"

"Well I wish you weren't!" I bit my lip to hold back tears as the house went silent, and I could hear the storm brewing outside. Yoshimori was suddenly standing behind me, grabbing the back of my jeans.

"Is that really what you want, Shikamaru? Do you really want to leave me and Yoshimori, and our next child. Yeah, I'm pregnant, sorry you had to find out this way," I said weakly, tears already falling out of my eyes. Shikamaru stared at me coldy.

"I just… need to be left alone."

"Alone. You've been left alone for the past… forever. I've left you alone, but it's killing me Shikamaru. It's killing me and Yoshimori, and it must be killing you." Shikamaru stayed silent.

"I need to be left alone," he repeated once more, heading to our room. I brushed away the tears and Yoshimori hugged onto me, tears in his eyes as well.

"Why is daddy being so mean?" he asked. I bent down and hugged him.

"I don't know, Yoshi," I whispered, and shivered slightly. I realized the movement around me wasn't caused by my shivering and felt the whole ground shook. The clattering of dishes confirmed my thoughts as I grabbed onto Yoshimori tightly. "An earthquake," I whispered, biting my lip. I was about to get up when the ceiling cracked and bits of the ceiling fell next to me. Yoshi and I screamed in terror, and soon the whole room collapsed around us, leaving us entrapped in a world of rubble.

~x~

_Shikamaru's Pov_

I felt awful, to be honest with you. I saw Haru cry, I heard her weak words, and I felt awful. I had to find out she was pregnant by fighting with her. I am such a jackass. The cruel ways I was acting were finally rushing back to me. I told her I didn't want to be her wife. How could I say such a cruel lie?

I groaned and fell onto the bed, rubbing a hand against my forehead. I felt something stir on the bed, but realized it wasn't a stir. The whole ground was shaking.

"Shit," I cussed under my breath, getting to my feet. I slowly walked over to the door, my balance become bad because of the shaking, and heard a large crack. Afterwards, I heard Haru and Yoshimori's screams of terror, and that got to me. The hard shell I created in the past month cracked.

"Haru! Yoshimori!" I shouted, throwing the door open. I looked into the living room and was shocked to see all the pieces of ceiling lying on the floor in heaps of dust. Haru and Yoshi must be trapped under the rubble. Great, just what Haru needed. Two of her biggest fears: being entrapped and natural disasters. I ran towards the mess and instantly began pushing the pieces of rock out of the way. Every rock I moved, my heart hoped to see a sign of Haru or Yoshi, but when I didn't my heart would shatter. I moved another rock and heard sounds of hard breathing and sped up on moving the rocks. Finally, after moving so many pieces of ceiling out of the way, I saw the dull shine of Haru's hair.

~x~

_Haru's Pov_

"Shi-Shikamaru!" I exclaimed, terribly glad to see him. He pulled me out of the rubble, Yoshimori in my arms. He pulled me into a deep hug and kissed the top of my head, and I could feel his heavy breathing as well as mine.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," I replied, pulling Yoshimori into my arms so he could feel Shikamaru's embrace as well. Shikamaru took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. Extremely sorry. For everything I've done. I've been a jerk. An idiot, and I don't even deserve such a wonderful, caring wife and son like you two," Shikamaru spoke, tears in his eyes. The tears from before were dried up on my cheeks, but they were being replaced by the new tears. These of happiness.

"It's alright, Shikamaru. I understand," I mumbled, leaning against his chest. He smiled softly.

"Haru, I love you. Let's never fight again."

"I love you, too, Shikamaru. Nothing will come between us," I said, and Shikamaru kissed my forehead.

"I love you guys too," Yoshimori said from in between us. "I love my Mom, and Dad, and my new baby sister," he said sweetly, smiling at us. We smiled back, and I knew that nothing would ever break this family apart.


End file.
